Home Checking

Home checkers assist rescues by helping to 'vet' the homes of potential adopters and foster carers.

When someone applies to give either a permanent or temporary home to a rescue animal they must first go through a screening process, normally involving an application form, a face-to-face or telephone discussion with the rescue concerned and a home check.

If the rescue is reasonably confident, based on the information given, that the potential home seems suitable then a home check will be arranged.

A home check is designed to inspect the housing in which the pet will live and interview the prospective owners or foster carers and their families to:

Confirm, as far as possible, that the details submitted on the application form are correct

Check that all residents living in the home are happy to receive a new house guest

Establish the location of the residence (e.g. near a main road, backing on to a train line) to determine whether it is safe for specific types of pets

Where applicable, check the condition and height of fences and gates to ensure any access to an outdoor area, such as a garden or yard, is secure

Ensure that the family are able to provide the following basic standards:

A safe, stimulating and loving environment

Plenty of clean water and a suitable, good quality, diet

Veterinary care, both for preventative treatment and to treat disease or injury

A warm, comfortable shelter, or otherwise suitable habitat, in which to live

Express 'normal' behaviour without the fear of pain or punishment

Do you have the experience to home check potential new homes for animals or potential new foster homes?

Do you want to get involved but have no previous experience? If you have never carried out a home check before but still want to help, don't worry.

We can either help to put you in touch with local training centres or if you'd prefer to train 'on the job' to get practical experience we can help to arrange for you to 'tagalong' on other home checks in your area. This would entail accompanying experienced home checkers who would mentor you, pass on their advice and demonstrate how they would normally carry out a home check. Animal Lifeline UK will provide specimen home check forms and other training materials.